Finding My Path: Why a Creative Career Was Meant for Me
It took me over five years to reach this realisation, but I wouldn’t change a thing — here’s why.
Since graduating in 2020, it feels like I’ve spent half my time worrying about not having the perfect job, or life.
Although our jobs aren’t our entire personality, we spend a significant chunk of our time working, so striving for a job we love should be considered less of a privilege and more of a rite of passage.
At the grand age of 27, I still don’t have a plan. But after taking a leap and embarking on a career change (and pay cut) I’ve never been more certain a creative career is the path for me.
Here’s how I came to this conclusion and how you could too if you’re feeling lost in the world of work or are unsure about your general purpose in life.
Taking a leap of faith
After 2 years of unsuccessful job hunting, I left my retail job of 4 years and started a new job as a content writer. This wasn’t the original plan, as I had been applying for jobs in publishing, but I was fed up with the endless cycle of rejection of not getting anywhere.
So when this role came up, although I was terrified about leaving a job I knew like the back of my own hand, I had to take a leap of faith and say yes, even though it wasn’t what I had planned. But also, I knew I had to leave my old job as it was making me so miserable. Working in a bookshop isn’t as glamorous as everyone assumes.
Despite taking a hefty pay cut, which meant I was £200 per month short and taking on a costly commute, accepting this job was the best decision I’ve made in years. Although the next 6 months working for this company turned out to be hellish, I still wouldn’t change the path I went on.
If I hadn’t sacrificed familiarity and stability — I wouldn’t have realized how creative and capable I was and that I could be suited to a whole new array of careers I had never even considered.
Starting as a content writer in the Spring of last year opened up my eyes to a whole new world of work. Once I figured out creative solutions that appealed to my arty side, I could do something I love — writing — for a living.
Eight months on, and that job never worked out. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. But even knowing this now, I wouldn’t change anything, as it would give me an even better opportunity and the new job I started at the end of January 2025. It turns out good things to come to those who wait and start to get okay with feeling uncomfortable, at least for a while.
The creative realisation
I have walked through most of my life believing I’m not a creative person. I can’t draw, paint, or act, and after all, I studied history at University. This is all why I had never sought out a creative job before. Although I love art, films, books, and everything that goes in between, I didn’t think those were skills I had, or at least were those I could use in a job.
After all, there’s satisfaction in having a mechanical 9–5 that follows the same routine every day. Although I never knew what kind of interaction I would have with a customer each day — bookselling was a very mechanical job steeped in routine, and I never really got to use the creative side of my brain.
Fast forward to now — and I am the only content writer and social media manager for a new company. Since January, I have been tasked with the re-branding of all their content with the aim of increasing sales.
If you had told me a year ago this was what I’d be doing as a job, I would have never believed it.
But so far, it’s the most creative I have ever been and the most satisfying work I have ever felt.
There are days when I doubt that I am good enough — especially when trying to figure out social media — but this job is the first one I’ve had (in 5 different roles in my life so far) where I actually look forward to going to work, which is nothing short of life-changing when I typically spend 45 hours of my time a week doing it.
Despite the unknown, the doubts, and the responsibility I now have — and the knowledge I’m never going to be a millionaire in this role or line of work, I wouldn’t change it for the world due to the level of happiness and satisfaction it has given me.
Accepting happiness over money
Taking a pay cut was never easy. For most people it would be unadvisable. But for the sake of a few hundred pounds a month, I figured it was worth it, and I would just have to make it work.
Despite being down to my last pennies most months in the beginning, If I hadn’t taken this chance, I would still be stuck in retail, doing something familiar and stable, but never knowing that creative careers were so stimulating and something I could be good at.
Over the last few months, I’ve come to terms with the idea that ‘creative careers’ are never going to make me rich. Unless, on the off chance, I become a bestselling author far into the future, for which the odds are very slim, I’ve accepted I’m just not going to be one of those people who make lots of money. And that’s okay.
I’m content with earning half the wage of my partner and not yet owning a house despite being closer to thirty every day. And that’s because happiness, feeling motivated, and looking forward to work are starting to feel so much more important to me.
I have been miserable in jobs in the past and brought to tears countless times due to stress and toxic managers. For most of my life, I have wasted every Sunday worrying about the week ahead, all because of being trapped in a job I hated.
Although I’ve been in this new role for less than a month, and there will be inevitable lows to come, this feeling of happiness and motivation with a job has been foreign to me until now, and that makes the pay cut and living paycheck to paycheck completely worthwhile.
Find what you love
Whether it’s writing a product description for something as mundane as a pencil or designing a social media campaign — the chance to be creative and see things through different eyes is at the heart of my job now.
I relish the challenge of writing enticing copy to encourage people to buy things, having the creative freedom to write blogs, and the thrill that comes with editing something to meet a certain word count.
I love how my job stretches and challenges me mentally and how it has given me a renowned appreciation for the power of words.
As it turns out — I’m far more creative than I ever gave myself credit for.
It may have taken many years to get to this point, and I don’t yet know all the answers about my life’s trajectory and where it will take me, but knowing that I need a creative carer is all the reassurance I need to go forward.
Sometimes in life, you have to take a leap of faith or take two steps forward to take two steps back. Progress, like history, isn’t always a linear path to a better place. Sometimes, it has to get worse before it gets better.
Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices to be in a happier place eventually. Not everything in life is about money. And happiness? It still remains the only thing money can’t buy, but it is one of the most important things to strive for during our time here.
Take it from me. Sometimes, a leap into the unknown is the most important movement you will take.
This was originally posted in Publishous on Medium, 25th February 2025.